Portland General Electric Trojan Nuclear Plant — Rainier, Oregon

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at Portland General Electric Company’s Trojan Nuclear Plant in Rainier, Columbia County, Oregon, sustained occupational asbestos exposure during construction, operation, and maintenance of the nuclear generating facility.

Facility Background

The Trojan Nuclear Plant, located on the Columbia River near Rainier, was Oregon’s only commercial nuclear power plant. It began commercial operation in 1976 and was shut down permanently in 1993 following a finding of steam generator tube degradation. The plant was a pressurized water reactor (PWR) designed and supplied by Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

Plaintiffs alleged that nuclear plant construction in the 1970s — and subsequent operations and maintenance — involved extensive use of asbestos-containing insulation on steam generators, reactor coolant piping, turbine systems, and associated steam and process piping, consistent with industrial construction practices of the era.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Steam generator insulation: Plaintiffs alleged that the large steam generators at Trojan, which transferred heat from the primary reactor coolant to produce secondary steam for turbine operation, were insulated with asbestos-containing materials during initial construction.
  • Turbine-generator building: Plaintiffs alleged that the turbine building housed a large steam turbine-generator set with extensive steam piping, all insulated with asbestos-containing materials consistent with 1970s power plant construction.
  • Process and utility piping insulation: Plaintiffs alleged that hundreds of feet of process, steam, and service water piping throughout the plant were insulated with asbestos-containing materials.
  • Maintenance and outage work: Plaintiffs alleged that outside contractor workers performing maintenance outages, equipment replacement, and refueling operations encountered asbestos-containing materials installed during original construction.

Oregon has a two-year statute of limitations under ORS § 30.907, running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims also carry a three-year limit under ORS § 30.020.

Workers who were employed at the Trojan Nuclear Plant and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.